On Saturday, May 2nd, the U.S. Department of Energy, Sunshot Initiative’s Solar Outreach Partnership (SolarOPs), will host a free workshop highlighting strategies that municipalities across Maine can adopt to encourage solar energy development within their communities. The workshop will feature national and local experts on solar energy in the greater Bangor region and include video comments from Senator Angus King, a strong supporter of domestic energy production. The event is co-sponsored by the City of Bangor, City of Brewer, Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce, and the UMaine Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center.

"Renewable energy sources like solar are the key to unlocking a cleaner, brighter energy future for our country," Senator King said. "By investing in green technologies, we are curbing our dependence on oil, reducing our carbon footprint, and helping combat climate change so that we can pass on a vibrant and healthy world to future generations. I applaud the City of Bangor and their partners for sponsoring this workshop, which will help promote solar as a valuable alternative energy resource for our state."

This interactive workshop is designed for municipal officials, business leaders, and interested citizens. The workshop will provide information on policy creation for local-level solar development, including details on permitting, planning, and zoning.

SolarOPs, the event co-sponsor, is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program designed to increase the use and integration of solar energy in communities across the United States. The SolarOPs program is part of the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative, a collaborative national effort to make solar energy systems cost-competitive with other forms of energy before 2020. To drive down the cost of solar electricity, the US Department of Energy is supporting efforts by private companies, academia, and national laboratories to innovate, educate, and apply best practices in solar energy.

The City of Bangor, Maine is a service center community of over 33,000 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.